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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

One of the best feelings in the world is when you treat yourself to a nice home-cooked dinner after a long day at work. An even better feeling is when this meal tastes like you're eating in an Italian restaurant...and literally takes less than 20 minutes to make! Yes, your wildest dreams are coming true. I sauté some chicken and onion until they're almost golden brown, then throw in a little (or a lot!) of garlic for that intense Italian flavor, then add in some butter for good measure. Next comes a huge handful of baby spinach - so you can pretend that part of the meal is healthy - and finish it off with some crunchy pine nuts and a dash of parmesan cheese for garnish. Oh yeah, did I mention that I lay this delicious buttery, garlic rosemary sauce on top of a bed of luscious, melt-in-your-mouth Artichoke ravioli? It's a pretty perfect combination if you ask me! And feel free to experiment with any flavor ravioli you would like...the artichoke flavor was an impulse buy for me at the grocery store over the weekend! A cheese ravioli would be equally delicious!

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Even though the sun is going down a little earlier and we're starting to need lightweight jackets after sunset, the summer party season is still in full swing! It seems like all of my friends and family are trying to make the most of the last few weeks of this oh-so-short summer, so Howie and I's social calendar has been chocked full of BBQ's housewarmings (including our own this weekend!) and birthday parties. I absolutely hate showing up to these types of social gatherings empty-handed, so I usually try to whip up a quick dip or dessert to share with friends and alleviate the host's plate a little bit. One of my favorite hand-held desserts in the summer months are Butterscotch Blondie Bars, a sweet treat that only takes about 10 minutes to make and a half hour to bake. Sorry store-bought brownies, you are delicious but one-in-a-million at summer barbecues...make way for these awesome little Butterscotch Blondies!

Sunday, August 9, 2015

There's nothing quite like a Chipotle craving. You know what I mean. It's terribly unexpected, comes on strong and really won't go away until you go ahead and satiate your need for that burrito. It's the worst. But also the best when you're actually eating it.

So let me tell you, I've tried to mimic Chipotle in my own kitchen many times in the past with about a 0-6 track record...until now. I figured out how to give a little love to the ingredients so you get that salty, tangy cilantro-lime flavor in every single bite. It takes a little prep time, but makes 6 generous servings for less than the price of 2 burrito bowls! And the leftovers for lunch during the week...insane. You have to try this one out!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

As many of you know, I absolutely love travel in any shape or form. I'm not sure if it's a last ditch effort to see as much of the world as I can before I eventually have to get responsible and settle down one day, or if I have an innate travel bug that will probably never disappear completely. Either way, seeing the world makes me feel creatively, physically and emotionally inspired, so I take advantage of as many trips each year as I can, big or small.

For these reasons, I decided to launch a travel section for No Place Like (O)Home. Even though I absolutely adore my hometown of Cleveland, OH, there is a whole world out there for me to explore, and in turn, share with you. To be honest, I have no idea what type of content I'll be regularly posting in this section - it's sort of like this past spring when I found a $400 round trip ticket to Panama and bought it on a whim without a game plan. I have a tendency to dive into things head first and never look back. But that itinerary is looking amazing, so I'm crossing fingers that this travel section will be equally successful. Looks like a glimpse into my trip to Manhattan through photos will be the first topic...